1234
by Miss Nostalgia
Summary: Leslie never knew he could play the guitar, until one hot summer day in Terabithia. Jess/Leslie songfic.


Disclaimer: I don't own Bridge to Terabithia or the song '1234'. The first belongs to Katherine Paterson, and the latter to the band Plain White T's.

a/n: a plot bunny bit me!

* * *

Leslie knew everything about Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr. Why couldn't she? They had been the best of friends for three years now. Now, they were both thirteen, both struggling with the bodily changes that normally occur in every preteen's life. Jess grew a little taller than Leslie, and Leslie grew her once short hair, the golden locks touching her back.

Now, everytime Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke would look at each other, their friends (Yes, unlike in the book, in this story, Jess and Leslie will have many friends now) would notice something different in the way they look at each other. It was as if their eyes were close to sparkling whenever they set eyes on each other. They thought it was cute.

It was a hot summer day in Terabithia. Jess and Leslie built the bridge when they were 12, sensing that the rope couldn't be trusted anymore when Jess tried swinging on it, and snapped as he tugged (he was lucky to have not swung yet, or he would have fell down the creek). An amazing accomplishment for someone so young. Their elders still didn't know about their haven. Only May Belle did.

Leslie told Jess the day before that she wouldn't be around because her mother asked her to come with her to go clothes shopping, so she told Jess to just wait for her at the tree house.

Now, there was this one thing – one talent to be precise, that Leslie Burke didn't know Jess would possess.

***

The first thing she heard was something playing a guitar. At first, she felt horrified that someone else might have discovered their place. Jess didn't play a guitar.

Or maybe he did?

Leslie slowly snuck inside the tree house (the tree house had two entrances, she entered at the other one facing Jess' back, so he didn't see her come in as he was too busy singing), and found her best friend playing the guitar, much to her surprise.

_1-2-1-2-3-4  
Give me more loving than I've ever had  
Make me feel better when I'm feeling sad  
Tell me I'm special even though I know I'm not  
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad  
Barely getting mad  
I'm so glad I found you  
I love being around you  
_

Unknown to him, Leslie didn't go with her mother. She stayed. She had this feeling that something was going to happen. She lied to her mother about a stomach ache, so her mother dragged her father instead. After her parents left, she then went immediately to Terabithia.

_You make it easy  
It's as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4  
_

_There's only one thing  
To Do  
Three words  
For you  
I love you  
There's only one way to say  
Those three words  
That's what I'll do  
I love you  
_

Somehow, Leslie felt that the lyrics he sang felt undeniably… fit for their relationship. She couldn't stop smiling. She closed her eyes and continued on listening. She knew a lot of difficult words that kids at her age didn't know yet, and yet, the simple words that the song possessed were powerful and sweet that she didn't dare compare it to the many books that she had read before.

Did Jess write this song all by himself?

_Give me more loving from the very start  
Piece me back together when I fall apart  
Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends  
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad  
You're the best that I've had  
And I'm so glad I found you  
I love being around you  
_

_You make it easy  
It's easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4  
_

_There's only one thing  
To Do  
Three words  
For you  
I love you  
There's only one way to say  
Those three words  
That's what I'll do  
I love you  
I love you_

Jess strummed the last chord, ending the song. Leslie was still in her imaginations, when she felt someone shook her shoulder.

"Les?"

She immediately opened her eyes, to see a surprised Jess.

"Um… How long have you been in here?" He asked. Leslie was certain that he was nervous.

Leslie smiled, like she had never smiled before.

"Ever since you started singing that very cute song." She told him.

Jess gulped. He felt nervous more than ever. He was supposed to be practicing. He was glad when Leslie told him that she would be away for the whole morning with her mom. He had the whole morning to practice the song, and he was planning on singing it to her in the afternoon…

Sweat trickled down his face. He wiped this. It was really obvious to Leslie now that he was nervous. He was too nervous to say anything.

"Tell me Jess, did you write that song yourself?" She asked him.

"Uh, yeah… Do you really think it's cute?..."

On impulse, Leslie hugged him. Jess was shocked at this. The first time Leslie hugged him so suddenly the day he gave her PT sent chills down his spine. Now, he felt butterflies inside his stomach, and a somewhat very warm feeling.

Leslie got back to her senses. She immediately backed away from Jess and smiled sheepishly at him. What made her do it? It wasn't like Jess wrote the song for her…

Or did he?

"Tell me one more thing Jess…"

"Sure… What is it?"

She bit her lip, preparing herself if she ever she would get hurt.

"Who's the lucky girl?"

Jess couldn't speak. This situation was just like what he saw on a movie. He didn't know what to say or do. If he didn't say or do anything, Leslie might feel bad. So he got his act together and took a deep breath.

He decided not to say anything. Instead, he picked up his guitar and motioned Leslie to sit down, as he sat himself on the floor, facing her.

_You make it easy  
It's easy as 1 2 1 2 3 4  
There's only one thing  
To Do  
Three words  
For you  
I love you  
There's only one way to say  
Those three words  
That's what I'll do  
I love you  
I love you  
1-2-3-4  
I love you  
I love you_

"I love you." He said, with the courage he never knew he would have.

Leslie smiled. She was glad she didn't go with her mom, and lied that she had a stomach ache.

"I love you too." She replied. Jess eyes shot up.

"Really?"

"Yeah…"

Jess saw a very light shade of pink on both Leslie's cheeks. He did something that he had never done before, and never thought that he would ever, and kissed her on the cheek. Leslie was stunned.

After pulling away, Leslie touched her cheek where Jess lips had kissed earlier.

Both kids just giggled.

Life never felt any better.

* * *

a/n: I'd like to thank the plot bunny for biting me... If not for it, I wouldn't have thought of this cute story. Please review if you think it's cute!


End file.
